GVMS Weekly Update

Email: stenzl@garnetvalley.org
Website: https://gvms.garnetvalleyschools.com/
Location: 601 Smithbridge Road
Phone: 610-579-5100
Twitter: @GarnetValleyMS

Garnet Valley Middle School Community,

Happy Friday! Once again our students showed incredible focus and personal responsibility toward their own learning and growth during Tuesday’s MAP ELA Benchmark. Early informal trends from both the Winter MAP Math and ELA show that our students' efforts are resulting in their personal growth and achievement. We are very proud of our students and know this will continue in the second half of this school year.

Tonight at 6:30, we welcome our 6th graders to their GLOW IN THE DARK FUN TIME ! It is not too late. Students may pay $20 at the door.

Students must have been present today in order to attend tonight’s event. Please follow the drop off and pick up instructions below:

• Drop-Off:
• Please drop your child off at the main entrance of middle school at 6:30.

• Pick-Up:
• Pick-up will begin at 8:15. If you are able, please text or call your child when you are here and we will send them out to the sidewalk along the front of the school. Students must stay on the sidewalk. If your child does not have a phone, we will call for your child when you get to the front of the building. Please stay in your car, rather than cross the street, and drive along the sidewalk leading up to our main entrance.
• When you arrive, form a line across the main entrance of the school. If the line is long, please create a loop between Garnet Valley Elementary School and the back of the middle school in the parking lot.

This week, we hope our 8th grade families were able to join the Course Selection GVHS Parent Nights. If you were unable to do so, please click here to access the GVHS Course Selection website. This contains all the information your family needs as you begin to think about the transition to high school.

GVHS will be having their annual Warm Clothing Drive from January 23rd-28th. They will be collecting new or lightly used winter clothing for all ages to be donated to the Kennett Area Community Service homeless shelter. They would like GVMS to join the effort. They will be collecting clothing at the GVHS Varsity Boys Basketball home game on January 26th at 7:00 pm. Community members, as well as students, will gain free admission to the game if they donate clothing.

Only 6 days left for our opening night of our Little Mermaid Jr.! Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Lisa Stenz, Principal

Rick Martin, Assistant Principal

Gerry Weinhardt, Assistant Principal

GVPAA & GVMS Present: The Little Mermaid JR! You are invited to be Part of [Ariel's] World as she navigates the Fathoms Below and The World Above with our 100+ cast and crew. You and your family do not want to miss this Disney classic on the GVMS stage!

Be sure to purchase your tickets now by visiting GVPAA.org before it is too late!

Performance Dates:

Thursday, January 26th @ 7pm ; Friday, January 27th @ 7pm; Saturday, January 28th @ 2pm & 7pm!

*All performances will be held in Garnet Valley Middle School's Auditorium

GVHS will be having their annual Warm Clothing Drive from January 23rd-28th. They will be collecting new or lightly used winter clothing for all ages to be donated to the Kennett Area Community Service homeless shelter. They will be collecting clothing at the GVHS Varsity Boys Basketball home game on the 26th at 7:00 pm; Community members, as well as students, will gain free admission to the game if they donate clothing. They are also collecting clothing at the other Varsity Boys' Basketball home games that week. They would appreciate any donations!

Save the Date 7th Graders!

Friday, February 10th from 6:30-8:30pm is your "Jag Jam" Winter Fun Night!

Come play sports, dance, bounce or play lawn games! We will have pizza and snacks. You must be in attendance on the day of February 10th to participate in the "Jag Jam."

The cost is $20 at the door. This event will be held at GVMS.

Tell your friends and come have fun at the "Jag Jam!"

A Sign-Up Genius will be available soon for parent volunteer opportunities. All volunteers must have their clearances in order to help. Thank you for your support!

Information on Excused & Unexcused Absences

Parents/guardians shall provide a written explanation for a child's absence. Excuse notes shall be completed and turned in to the Main Office by the student within three days after return from an absence. The absence of any student failing to comply with this time period will automatically become unexcused and illegal, and the school laws of Pennsylvania shall be applied accordingly. Below are a few additional reminders:

• Click here to learn more about reporting an absence. This link can be used to report a full-day absence, an early dismissal, or a late arrival.

• Click here to access our Educational Leave Form. Please have your student return the completed form to the GVMS Main Office for review by Mrs. Valerie Intenzo and Mr. Gerry Weinhardt before the start of the leave.

• Click here to view our Board Policy #204 - Attendance.

Information on Excused & Unexcused Latenesses

We strongly believe that punctual arrival to school each morning is critical to our student’s success.

• Five parent notes denoting illness or emergency (see reasons for excused absences in the link provided above) will be accepted throughout the semester, and the lates will be marked as excused. After 5 excused lates, additional lates will be regarded as unexcused unless a legal doctor's excuse is provided. Oversleeping, car trouble, and missing the bus are not excused reasons for lateness (even if accompanied by a parent note).

• A school administrator will meet with any student who accumulates more than four unexcused latenesses per semester and school actions will be taken, which may include detentions and a home and school team meeting to establish an action plan for improvement.

If your student is coming in late or leaving early due to a doctor/ortho visit, please ask the office for a return to school note and send it in with your student to the main office when they return, so their attendance file can be updated.

If you have any questions regarding attendance, please contact Mrs. Valerie Intenzo at 610-579-5100 or vintenzo@garnetvalley.org.

School Counselors

Students with the last names beginning with A-Em should contact Mrs. Marisa Mahon at
mahonm@garnetvalley.org

Students with the last names beginning with Ep-Ler should contact Ms. Wendy Xanthopoulos at
xanthow@garnetvalley.org

Students with the last names beginning with Les-Rom should contact Mr. Matt Bradshaw at bradshm@garnetvalley.org

Students with the last name beginning with Ros-Z should contact Mrs. Christy Francart at
francac@garnetvalley.org

We know that there is so much information shared at the beginning of the school year. Please access Garnet Valley's parent portal, which keeps all of our information in one place. Click here to access the parent portal. To get direct access to some of our services please click the following links.

• Alma - Garnet Valley's Student Information System
• Schoology - Garnet Valley's Learning Management System
• My School Bucks - Register your child for our school lunch program
• Safe Arrival - Report an absence

This Video - Alma Navigation for Parents explains what to do to update your information in Alma.

Email: stenzl@garnetvalley.org
Website: gvms.garnetvalleyschools.com
Location: 601 Smithbridge Road
Phone: 610-579-5100
Twitter: @GarnetValleyMS